ht there was a change in the
weather, and before half an hour had passed the rain fell in sheets and
sent some of the guards to seek shelter in the wagons. Two of them were
tenderfeet, one of Schoolcraft's friends and a trader. Tom was the
so-called corporal of this watch and he was standing his trick as
vigilantly as if they were in the heart of the Kiowa or Comanche
country. He carefully had instructed his men and had posted them in the
best places, and he knew where each of them should be found. After half
an hour of the downpour he made the rounds, called the roll and then
slipped back into the encampment in search of the missing men. Not
knowing them well enough at this time he did not know the wagons to
which they belonged, and he had to wait until later to hunt them out.

Dawn found a wet and dispirited camp as the last guard returned to the
wagons an hour before they should have left their posts. Not a fire
would burn properly and not a breakfast was thoroughly cooked. Everyone
seemed to have a chip on his shoulder, and the animals were mean and
rebellious when driven in for the hobbles to be removed and picket ropes
substituted to hold them. Breakfast at last over, the caravan was about
to start when Tom went along his own division and called four men
together.

"Last night you fellers quit yer posts an' slunk back ter yer wagons,"
he said, ominously. "Two of ye air tenderfeet, an' green ter this life;
one is a trader an' th' other is an old hand on th' trail. You all ought
ter know better. I'm lettin' ye off easy _this_ time, but th' next man
that breaks guard is goin' ter git a cussed fine lickin'. If it's
necessary I'll make an invalid out o' any man in my squad that sneaks
off his post. Git back ter yer wagons, an' don't fergit what I've said."

The tenderfeet were pugnacious, but doubtful of their ground; the trader
was abashed by the keen knowledge of his guilt and the enormity of his
offense. He was a just man and had no retort to make. The teamster, a
bully and a rough, with a reputation to maintain, scowled around the
closely packed circle, looking for sympathy, and found plenty of it
because the crowd was anxious to see the corporal, as personifying
authority, soundly thrashed. They felt that no one had any right to
expect a man to stand guard in such a rain out in the cheerless dark for
two hours, especially when it was admitted that there was no danger to
be feared. Finding encouragement to justif